GALS! Christmas Special!
by autumn desiree
Summary: A one shot story about a ghost, Tatsuki, and Ran.


A/N: The Christmas Special continues! I had spare time so I started rereading my Gals! manga! I have regained my adoration of Tatsuki! XD He's such a bish! *huggles mini Tatsuki doll* . . . . Hehehehe... Anyway, this Christmas story will focus on Ran and Tatsuki just cuz I love those two!  
  
Note that these are separate, unrelated one-shots.  
  
GALS! Christmas Special - Part Two - Starring Ran and Tatsuki  
  
A Christmas Ghost Story  
  
"Well, Kotobuki, you did it," Ran muttered to herself as she gazed out the cabin window. They were in Hokkaido, up a little north of Sapporo, camping. They - Miyu, Yamato, Aya, Rei, Mami, Yuuya, and Tatsuki. Ran watched her breath cloud up the window, and watched it slowly fade away.  
  
Sure, she had spent Christmas with Tatsuki since high school, but now they were college students and in . . . a cabin. Alone. Together. On Christmas Eve. Ran's stomach turned into knots from sheer nervousness. What if he tried to kiss her? Of coarse it wouldn't be the first time, but, this was Christmas, you were supposed to spend it with your boyfriend. And you were supposed to kiss and . . . do other stuff. . .  
  
"Thinking about me," Tatsuki whispered in her ear, catching Ran off guard. She turned, wheeling her arm back for an attack, which was a reflex action brought from training at the police adademy. Tatsuki caught her attack with his hand, grinning because he noticed her cheeks were a tad flushed.  
  
With his other hand he held a branch of mistletoe over his head, "Look! Mistletoe. Now you have to kiss me," he teased, leaning in. Ran's heart skipped a beat, and she pushed him away, grabbed her jacket, and ran outside. Tatsuki frowned as she dashed out, her face red and having no comment.  
  
"I won't kiss anyone unless I'm in love with them!"  
  
"It's been four years, Ran. Are you still not in love with me," he asked, then went to get his jacket to follow her.  
  
"Why did I run away again," Ran asked herself, and put her hand over her chest. "It's like that lately . . . Everytime I look into those intense eyes, my heart begins to beat faster," she thought, "Is this feeling . . love?"  
  
I hate being alone!  
  
"Who said that," Ran yelped, turning around, trying to find the source of the voice. Instead she found Tatsuki, who waved and dashed to her.  
  
"Oi, Ran! You didn't have to run so far into the woods! And it's getting dark too . . ."  
  
He always left me alone!  
  
"That voice again!"  
  
Tatsuki arched an eyebrow and put his hand on her forehead. "No fever . . . Are you going insane, Ran-pyon?" Ran glared and shook her head.  
  
"I really did hear a voice! It said, 'I hate being alone! He always left me alone!'." Tatsuki chuckled and wrapped one arm around her.  
  
"Come one, you just need to sleep." He tugged on her, but she didn't move. When Tatsuki turned, Ran stared at him, eyes tearing up. "What the hell," Tatsuki thought, "What did I do?" Ran pulled him close to her, and wrapped him in a tight embrace. "Ran?"  
  
"You finally came, Sano . . . I'm so happy . . ."  
  
"Sano," he questioned again, but Ran paid no notice.  
  
"I ran away from home to be with you . . . You said, meet me in our secret meeting place. I came, and waited. . . But a storm blew in, and it began to snow. I tried to find someplace warm, but I got lost and froze to death. I've been waiting for you to return to me!" With those words, Ran lifted her head in a proposed kiss, but Tatsuki pulled away.  
  
"Ran, if this is a joke, then it's a terrible one. Snap out of it!"  
  
"Ran," the possessed Ran echoed, "Who is she?" Tears began to fall again, and a second later, Ran wiped her cheek, looking confused. "What happened," she asked, "Why was I crying?"  
  
"You . . . Are a horrible liar. Come on, remember, you started talking crazy, and then you hugged me and tried to kiss me -"  
  
"Kiss? Then. . . you took my first kiss," Ran whispered, then her own tears began to form, "I trusted you more than that, Tatsuki!" She ran off further into the woods, much to Tatsuki's horror.  
  
"You jumped to conclusions again, Ran," he said sadly. "And . . . if me giving you your first kiss is that horrible, then I'll just leave you before you get hurt."  
  
I couldn't save her. I couldn't come in time . . .  
  
"Who-what," Tatsuki yelped, searching for the voice. Behind him, leaning against a tree, stood a man in old, samurai-style clothing. He pulled out his sword and dropped it to the ground in shame. "S-Sano?"  
  
The man turned, and Tatsuki stumbled back at the force of his sorrowful energy. "I couldn't help her, but you can," Sano said, and walked to Tatsuki. Slowly, as he approached, the fear disappeared from Tatsuki's eyes. The men looked each other in the eyes, understanding.  
  
Fate hands us the cards; we must play the game.  
  
"I ran away again," Ran muttered, and sank to her knees. A cold breeze blew by, and she shivered and wrapped her jacket closer around her body. "I have to apologize sometime but . . . he stole my first kiss. . . and I don't even remember it. . . Tatsuki . . ."  
  
Have you lost the one you love as well?  
  
"Wh- Who are you! Where are you! Show yourself now!"  
  
A girl stepped out from behind a tree, eyes sorrowful and wrapped tightly in a large cloth. As she walked, she made no imprints in the snow, much to Ran's horror. The girl stopped about a foot away from Ran, then sat, and gestured for Ran to do the same. Ran shook her head no, and remained standing. The girl nodded and gestured to the sky, which was a rich golden orange.  
  
I waited for him when the sky was like this too. Sano . . .  
  
As she spoke Sano's name, the wind howled violently, and Ran's teeth began to chatter from the cold. I waited until the moon was the only thing hanging in the sky. I waited as the Gods torn my skin with sharp winds and tried to cool my passion with cold snow.  
  
I'm still waiting for him. He came earlier, but he called out 'Ran'. Are you Ran? Are you Sano's lover? Take me inside you! Let me be, for a moment, in my Sano's arms again!  
  
Ran lost all perception as the words left the girl's mouth, and fell onto the snow, an icy grave.  
  
"Ran," Tatsuki called, dashing in the barely visible tracks of his girlfriend. Each second and each snowflake increased his urgency and anxiety. "Where is she," he thought, and came to a small circular clearing.  
  
Ran lay in the snow, eyes closed, and not moving.  
  
Time ceased to exist, the world ended, Heaven and Hell collided. "Ran," Tatsuki yelled, dashing to her side. "Wake up, wake up," shaking her body, "Please Ran! Ran . . ."  
  
She's not breathing.  
  
"Tell me something I don't know Sano! Warmth, right? She needs warmth, and air . . ." Tatsuki put his ear to Ran's chest, listening for any sign of a heartbeat. No sound. Tears began to fall down his cheeks as the realization that Ran could be dead set it. Still, he refused to give up, and began to perform CPR on her.  
  
Why! Why do you still save her, the girl yelled, stepping forward. She deserves to die like me! Alone, without seeing the one I love!  
  
Kiera, I am right here. I have always been right here. It is you who refused to see me.  
  
You never came! I waited, and waited, and you never came! Then, you call out her name when I see you again! Why Sano, why!  
  
Kiera, the girl belongs to him.  
  
Why did you leave me?  
  
I protected you. That night . . . .  
  
"Sano, I want you to kill my daughter."  
  
Sano gasped, "Excuse me sir?"  
  
"I want you to kill Kiera. I will use her death to frame Shiroyuki and become emperor. It's for this country's own good." Sano frowned, and pulled out his sword. The chubby man's beady eyes widened and he took a step back.  
  
"A man who murders his own daughter cannot be any better for this country than Shiroyuki. I love Kiera, and I will not let anyone harm her!"  
  
"Guards! Kill both Sano and Kiera! They are traitors to the Shirayuki Empire!"  
  
Sano stepped back, and began to fight the men that had come under Nohi's orders. "Kiera," he thought desperately, "Please wait for me a bit longer . . ."  
  
They stabbed me many times. I managed to escape, but I only got halfway before dying. Forgive me Kiera, I tried to reach you!  
  
Sano, Kiera whispered and dashed to him, then both kissed, and disappeared.  
  
"Ran," Tatsuki said again, and Ran responded, coughing and wheezing. She said nothing for a moment, and stared at Tatsuki with confusion. Then, with a small smile, reached up and brush a tear away.  
  
"You saved me, didn't you," she asked, then closed her eyes. "I'm so sleepy Tatsuki, like I've been awake for centuries." Tatsuki smiled and pulled her close, hugging her tight.  
  
"I thought you'd left me forever," he whispered, and tightened his hold. "I love you Ran."  
  
"And . . . I love you too Tatsuki. I'm sorry when I got mad earlier for the kiss, I'm really glad it was you and not somebody else, honest."  
  
Tatsuki put his finger to her lips, shushing her. "We need to get you to a doctor. Then, I'll give you your first kiss."  
  
"First," Ran replied quizically, but exhaustion overwhelmed her and she drifted off. Sano and Kiera appeared, smiling gently.  
  
You two, be happy forever. Follow us, and we shall return you home.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ ________________________  
  
Ran woke wrapped in Tatsuki's arms. Normally this would've evoked a violent reaction, but she smiled, and watched him sleep. One night had passed since the 'incident'. On Christmas, under a starry night, Tatsuki had taken her first kiss.  
  
And the second, third, fourth . . .  
  
It wasn't that bad, being in love.  
  
Tatsuki woke, and both stared at each other, filled with overwhelming emotions.  
  
Only three hours had passed since they left to the woods, and according to the camp area's doctors, Ran was perfectly healthy. Both wondered if the lost couple had anything to do with that.  
  
They never talked about what happened to anyone. It was strange, and something that should only be remembered by the participants. The others had been concerned, but when they saw Ran's health, the worry disappeared and Christmas cheer replaced it.  
  
When their lips touched, Ran wondered why she had waited so long to realize her feelings for the goofy, energetic, silly, dorky, you-can-count-on-me guy. 


End file.
